Discussion
It's time to lose a bit of weight. I'm 47 and a bit podgy around the middle, I'm getting married in summer 2023, and I want to go into next year looking and feeling a bit trimmer and to not be worrying about shifting anything on my run up to the big day. I'm reasonably fit...I've recently done a real-world 56 mile ride with my cycling club at 17.5mph moving average, and a 29 miler non-stop at 19.6mph average which is pretty decent for a biggish lad.
At the moment I'm doing about 40 mins virtually on Zwift every day, sometimes longer or more than one ride a day, and I've bought a rowing machine and kettle bell to try and mix things up a bit. I do a little bit of running and with a bit of training I know I can do a 10k in an hour as I did a couple of years or so ago when I did a race pre-pandemic.
I don't smoke, and on a "normal" week I've cut out mid week drinking, as well as cutting out sugar in tea/coffee and on cereal. I'm definitely feeling fitter in body and mind since Christmas, which was a bit of a disaster with food and alcohol and when I decided enough was enough and I wanted to get healthier. But I know I need to watch what I'm eating more...I can be a bit of a bugger for the afternoon WFH snack, I really hate being hungry, and I just really want to start getting rid of the belly.
I'm looking for some kind of app, regime or programme where I can track calories etc and eat properly but without it breaking the bank on a monthly basis. Some friends signed up to a programme run by a guy who does the whole mindfulness piece too, and has regular Zoom meetings, but with work/a child etc I think I might struggle with the time commitment (even if their results have been very visibly impressive). It's also very expensive.
I feel I'm very much in the "zone" and the habit of doing the exercise and really enjoying it, I just need something easy and real-world with the diet side of things.
Any recommendations?
At the moment I'm doing about 40 mins virtually on Zwift every day, sometimes longer or more than one ride a day, and I've bought a rowing machine and kettle bell to try and mix things up a bit. I do a little bit of running and with a bit of training I know I can do a 10k in an hour as I did a couple of years or so ago when I did a race pre-pandemic.
I don't smoke, and on a "normal" week I've cut out mid week drinking, as well as cutting out sugar in tea/coffee and on cereal. I'm definitely feeling fitter in body and mind since Christmas, which was a bit of a disaster with food and alcohol and when I decided enough was enough and I wanted to get healthier. But I know I need to watch what I'm eating more...I can be a bit of a bugger for the afternoon WFH snack, I really hate being hungry, and I just really want to start getting rid of the belly.
I'm looking for some kind of app, regime or programme where I can track calories etc and eat properly but without it breaking the bank on a monthly basis. Some friends signed up to a programme run by a guy who does the whole mindfulness piece too, and has regular Zoom meetings, but with work/a child etc I think I might struggle with the time commitment (even if their results have been very visibly impressive). It's also very expensive.
I feel I'm very much in the "zone" and the habit of doing the exercise and really enjoying it, I just need something easy and real-world with the diet side of things.
Any recommendations?
My fitness pal is a good tracker for free, and I had one subscription to Noom (thinking if I paid for it, I’d pay more attention).
Noom was good, you get drip fed modules and I personally learned a lot about food and psychology for around £20 a month for three months, but then exited with the principles I wanted.
I’m back on my fitness pal for recording meals as while it becomes second nature, I do need to remind myself from time to time to eat correctly.
I lost 10Kg pretty quickly and both from memory have a good selection of food menus in their associate libraries.
Neither class themselves as diet apps and aim for sustainable calorie deficit through better choices, emphasising the basics.
One thing I learned and stuck to is to measure weight daily at the same time, ideally early morning, to influence from the off the food choices you make that day.
The 10Kg stayed off and I’m aiming for another 10Kg through this year, based on it taking 20 years to reach my former wait and 2 years to get to something I’d be more comfortable with.
I’m a complete novice though and have picked up a lot of tips from here, so worth you checking further than my limited experience for something that works for you!
Noom was good, you get drip fed modules and I personally learned a lot about food and psychology for around £20 a month for three months, but then exited with the principles I wanted.
I’m back on my fitness pal for recording meals as while it becomes second nature, I do need to remind myself from time to time to eat correctly.
I lost 10Kg pretty quickly and both from memory have a good selection of food menus in their associate libraries.
Neither class themselves as diet apps and aim for sustainable calorie deficit through better choices, emphasising the basics.
One thing I learned and stuck to is to measure weight daily at the same time, ideally early morning, to influence from the off the food choices you make that day.
The 10Kg stayed off and I’m aiming for another 10Kg through this year, based on it taking 20 years to reach my former wait and 2 years to get to something I’d be more comfortable with.
I’m a complete novice though and have picked up a lot of tips from here, so worth you checking further than my limited experience for something that works for you!
On another note, I calculated I’d gone over my maintenance calories by around 20 calories per day, about one grape, over 20 years!
Noom tries to prepare you for the long game as most people apparently quit very quick without magic results. Your sound quite healthy in terms of choices, I reduced my calories slightly and moved to a richer protein based mix and it did seem to reduce my weight a bit quicker, but I can still see fluctuations of 2% of my whole body mass even when being “good” from week to week….
Noom tries to prepare you for the long game as most people apparently quit very quick without magic results. Your sound quite healthy in terms of choices, I reduced my calories slightly and moved to a richer protein based mix and it did seem to reduce my weight a bit quicker, but I can still see fluctuations of 2% of my whole body mass even when being “good” from week to week….
Is an app really necessary?
Don't eat and drink what you already know is not conducive to your goals.
Something to consider though, just because you're eliminating the bad stuff, doesn't mean you need to replace it with anything 'healthy'. Just make sure what you do consume is not rubbish. Adding 'healthy' food is still more food/calories.
Don't eat and drink what you already know is not conducive to your goals.
Something to consider though, just because you're eliminating the bad stuff, doesn't mean you need to replace it with anything 'healthy'. Just make sure what you do consume is not rubbish. Adding 'healthy' food is still more food/calories.
deckster said:
Necessary? No. Very helpful for most people? Without question.
For a start, it makes your last point really, really obvious.
I think the calorie counting apps help as you have an idea of what you’re putting in. Knowing you have a limit helps you space food through the day and moderate your portions. They’re definitely very helpful For a start, it makes your last point really, really obvious.
Thanks guys. I've started using Myfitnesspal and I'm happy with it so far and viewing it as a bit of a personal challenge. Thanks for the suggestion!
I'm not totally stupid, I know Big Macs aren't good for you, but I would not have had a clue about calories of various foods, or what I should be aiming for. I think part of my downfall was a bag of crisps here, a muffin there (by which time I'd forgotten about the crisps), a pint in the evening (by which time I'd forgotten about the crisps and the muffin etc) and only by tracking it and focusing on it do I know what I've eaten. Turns out that the muffin was basically the calorific content of a meal (I had no idea it was that bad) and hey presto, I'm over eating. I'm happy understanding the calories in/out side, let's hope the scales start confirming it's working soon.
It's also nice to see that a 40 minute Zwift session in the morning gives me 350 odd calories in the bank (but again, very easy to nullify them with the wrong treats/snacks!)
I'll keep going with Myfitnesspal for the next two weeks, and then I'm off skiing with the Mrs and I do want to enjoy myself. OK, so copious amounts of beer/wine, a 3 course meal every night and the odd fondue/raclette won't help with the calories, but by the same token a day on the mountain skiing is certainly going to burn a few too! Hopefully with a solid amount of Zwifting the legs and lungs should be in a decent state to go fairly hard all day too. When I get back I might give Noom a go too for the education side of things.
Thanks again!
I'm not totally stupid, I know Big Macs aren't good for you, but I would not have had a clue about calories of various foods, or what I should be aiming for. I think part of my downfall was a bag of crisps here, a muffin there (by which time I'd forgotten about the crisps), a pint in the evening (by which time I'd forgotten about the crisps and the muffin etc) and only by tracking it and focusing on it do I know what I've eaten. Turns out that the muffin was basically the calorific content of a meal (I had no idea it was that bad) and hey presto, I'm over eating. I'm happy understanding the calories in/out side, let's hope the scales start confirming it's working soon.
It's also nice to see that a 40 minute Zwift session in the morning gives me 350 odd calories in the bank (but again, very easy to nullify them with the wrong treats/snacks!)
I'll keep going with Myfitnesspal for the next two weeks, and then I'm off skiing with the Mrs and I do want to enjoy myself. OK, so copious amounts of beer/wine, a 3 course meal every night and the odd fondue/raclette won't help with the calories, but by the same token a day on the mountain skiing is certainly going to burn a few too! Hopefully with a solid amount of Zwifting the legs and lungs should be in a decent state to go fairly hard all day too. When I get back I might give Noom a go too for the education side of things.
Thanks again!
I bought a juicing machine from JuiceMaster.com
Got the Jason Vale app Super Juice Me.
Have kept a cheat day once a week. Need a glass or two of vino
Have lost 14kg without doing exercise.
Just got a rowing machine
I’m getting to target weight and will not be eating / drinking unhealthy again.
I should add most days I don’t feel the munchies. But they do sell SOS bars if you do have the the odd hunger pangs.
Got the Jason Vale app Super Juice Me.
Have kept a cheat day once a week. Need a glass or two of vino
Have lost 14kg without doing exercise.
Just got a rowing machine
I’m getting to target weight and will not be eating / drinking unhealthy again.
I should add most days I don’t feel the munchies. But they do sell SOS bars if you do have the the odd hunger pangs.
Edited by Jenny Tailor on Tuesday 25th January 18:26
Hard-Drive said:
It's also nice to see that a 40 minute Zwift session in the morning gives me 350 odd calories in the bank (but again, very easy to nullify them with the wrong treats/snacks!)
I know you sort of hinted at this - but whatever you do, don't think like this. It's probably the single biggest mistake you can make. Your Zwift session is part of your day, it is an integral component to your new lifestyle.In no way is it "calories in the bank" or an excuse to eat another 350 calories. If you start down this road I guarantee that you'll be here in a few months time saying that it's not working.
Another thumbs up for Noom here.
My fitness profile is remarkably similar to your own - fair bit of cycling and can run when I choose to, but wanted to have a go at tackling the nutrition side of the equasion. I signed up for the 12 weeks and it walks you through mainly the psychological side of things, much of which I found really quite interesting. I left it with a lot more knowledge (even if a chunk of it was common sense I already had, but was poor at putting into practise).
Since leaving the program (around summer last year) I have put a few pounds back on, because I completely stopped the tracking and fell back into a few bad habits, particularly around Christmas, so I'm planning to get back into logging food for a while to get me on the straight and narrow.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
My fitness profile is remarkably similar to your own - fair bit of cycling and can run when I choose to, but wanted to have a go at tackling the nutrition side of the equasion. I signed up for the 12 weeks and it walks you through mainly the psychological side of things, much of which I found really quite interesting. I left it with a lot more knowledge (even if a chunk of it was common sense I already had, but was poor at putting into practise).
Since leaving the program (around summer last year) I have put a few pounds back on, because I completely stopped the tracking and fell back into a few bad habits, particularly around Christmas, so I'm planning to get back into logging food for a while to get me on the straight and narrow.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
deckster said:
Hard-Drive said:
It's also nice to see that a 40 minute Zwift session in the morning gives me 350 odd calories in the bank (but again, very easy to nullify them with the wrong treats/snacks!)
I know you sort of hinted at this - but whatever you do, don't think like this. It's probably the single biggest mistake you can make. Your Zwift session is part of your day, it is an integral component to your new lifestyle.In no way is it "calories in the bank" or an excuse to eat another 350 calories. If you start down this road I guarantee that you'll be here in a few months time saying that it's not working.
I won’t lie, I’ve definitely been feeling peckish today (and that was with porridge for breakfast, tuna/cheese on toast for lunch and even a couple of snacks including a small chocolate bar) but I’m hoping I will get used to eating less and the hunger will go a bit over time.
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